(a) whether the Government has received any complaints with regard to police atrocities
on the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) communities in the country;
(b) if so, the number of such cases reported and the action taken against the guilty
persons during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise including
Odisha; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to check such cases in future?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI R.P.N. SINGH)
(a)to (c):There have been some reports about Police atrocities on members of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community.
As per data provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the total number of
cases registered, policemen chargesheeted and policemen convicted for the years
2009 – 11 respectively, are given in Annexure.
As per Seventh Schedule, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the
Constitution, and as such, the primary responsibility of prevention, detection,
registration, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes against SC/ST
lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. However, the Union
Government attaches highest importance to the matter of prevention and control of crime
against SC/ST. Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a detailed advisory dated 01st April,
2010 on crimes against SC/ST to all States / UTs.
The advisory on SC/ST has enumerated various steps, viz; vigorous and conscientious
enforcement of the statutory provisions and the existing legislations; sensitizing the
law enforcement machinery towards crimes against SCs/STs by way of well-structured
training programmes, conferences and seminars etc.; improving general awareness about
legislations on crimes against SCs/STs, develop a community monitoring system to check
cases of violence, abuse and exploitation; no delay in the registration of FIR in cases
of crimes against SCs/STs; identification of for the economic and social atrocity-prone
areas for taking preventive measures; adequate measures rehabilitation of the victims of
atrocities etc.